Testing tool for well pipe or the like



G. L. LOOMIS TESTING TOOL FOR WELL PIPE OR THE LIKE Jan. 19, 1965 Filed Feb. 2'. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l his N Mw.

INVENTOR GLENN l.. Looms BY MM @M9 PMwa/J AT'roRNEYs 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. L. LooMls i TESTING Toor. EOE WELL PIPE 0R THE LIKE Jan. 19, 19E

lFiled Feb. 2, 1962 GLENN L. Looms BY W @M7 ATTORNEYS 3,165,918 TESTNG T001.. FR WELL PIPE GR Tm LE@ Glenn lL. Loomis, P1). Box 728, Pasadena, Tex. Filed Feb. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 170,711 19 Claims. (Cl. 73-dl.5)

The present invention relates to a Well tool and, more particularly, to a Well tool testing device adapted to be inserted into Well pipe or the like to test the same for leaks by `the application of a uid'under pressure.

This application is animprovement in testing devices of the type disclosed in my prior United States Patent No. 2,731,827, issued January 24, 1956, and Patent No. 2,841,()07, issued luly l, 1958. ln my aforementioned United States patents, the testing devices disclosed are for use in testing the connections of sections of pipe together by the application of uid under pressure thereto. Generally, such testing devices comprised a body memberV with spaced packers thereon and means to expand the packers to seal oil a section to be tested as well as means to apply uid underV pressure to the sealed oif section.

ln recent years, the iiow tubing for oil or gas Ywells or the like has been made with an internal plastic lining. in some instances, the flow tubing itself has been made entirely from plastic Aalthough the Vplastic lined metallic pipe has been more widely accepted. The purpose of lining the pipes or tubing with a plastic is to prevent corrosion of the same from the products being flowed therethrough. The plastic lining in the sections of the pipe is quite fragile and thus in the completion of the wells the sections of pipes must be carefully handled in order to avoid damaging of the plastic lining which would ,materially reduce the effectiveness of the pipe. Further, pipe sections for the flow tubing have been reduced in diameter in recent years due to advanced techniques in Well completion and depth to which wells are now drilled. In many instances, the well pipe sections are provided with an increased wall thickness at their ends as a separate collar is no longer used to connect two sections together. Where one section is provided with female threads and the other section with male threads, the resulting connection of the tubing has an internal upset which further reduces the interior diameter of the same.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a well tool for insertion into plastic lined well pipe Lor the like, the tool having its external surface coated with a material which is softer than the plastic lining in.

Still another objectV ofthe present invention is to pro? vide a testing device having packers thereon which may- Y be expanded into engagementwith the walls of the pipe and which further may be completely relaxed in order to avoid a swabbing or dragging action which might causel abrasion to a plastic-lined well pipe.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved testing device for insertion into Well pipe having an extremely small interior diameter, for

example, an interior diameter in the order of one and v one-half inches or less.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved testing ytoo-l capable of being lowered a considerable distance down into a Well pipe and supplied with fluid through a conduit, the testing device having' means to relieve the pressure on its packers caused by the hydrostatic head in the fluid column in the conduit to the surface of the Well whereby the packers may be Ycompletely relaxed so thaty the device may be movedfto a', diiierent area for testing without evacuation of or loss ofVv iiuid from the conduit.

Another important object of the present invention is toV provide an improved testing tool utilizing a Huid under pressure to set its packers and means to bleed the liuid setting the packers externally of the device.

These and other objects of the present invention will appear more fully in the following specification, claims` and drawings in which:

FlGURE 1 is a side elevational view of thef testing and illustrating the packer element in its relaxedposition;

FIGURE 3 is an'enlarged fragmentary vertical section illustrating the lower portion of the testing de\u`ce of FlGURE 1 with its packer in the relaxed position;

FGURE 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical section of the upper portion of the testing device, the device being illustrated in a sectionrof well pipe and with fluid under pressure being applied through the fluid conduit;

FiGURE 5 is a view similar Vto FIGURE-4 but of a FIGURE 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken onA line 7 7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FlGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is Van enlarged fragmentary view illustrating a modification of the bleed means for bleeding fluid from the interior ,of the'piston elements which expan the packer elements.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like'character or reference numerals represent likeor similar parts, the testing device 10 disclosed in FIGURE l includes an elongated tester body member generally designated by the numeral 11 made up of a plurality of sections 12,` 13, 14, E6, Ztl and 21. Carried on the tester body member 1@ adjacent the upper and lower end portions are a pair -of resilient packer elements 22 and 24 which are interposed between abutment members 26 and pistons;

28. Packer elements V22 and 24 are cylindrically shaped and have a relaxed diameter less than the smallest inside diameter 0i the pipe to be tested. Preferably the packer elements 22 and 24 are made from an elastomeric mate-V rial such as rubber, synthetic rubber or the like. The testing device is adapted toV bellowered in the well pipe or iiow tubing on the end of a flexible conduit'29 shown in broken lines in FIGURE l. i The exible conduit 29 Patented Jan. 1Q, 1965' D is suitably connected to apparatus at the surface of the well for supplying hydraulic fluid to the testing device through the conduit at predetermined desired pressures. Usually the flexible conduit 29 provides the sole support for the testing device as it is lowered or raised in the well tubing, but other means may also be used.

The well pipe to be tested is best shown in section in FIGURES 4,V and 6 and usually comprises a plurality of sections of pipe 30 each having male and female ends 32 and 34, respectively, which are threaded together to provide a connection. The pipe sections 3i?, now widely accepted by the industry, are provided with thickened portions 36 on their male and female ends 32 and 34, respectively, to give rigidity to the joint between sections while having a major wallportion which is relatively thin and consequently there is an inturned upset-38 at each joint which effectively reduces the minimum internal diameter of the pipe. Y

In the usual practice, the testing device V is inserted into the well pipe after the joints or connections between sections of well pipe are assembled at the surface of the Well and the test is conducted prior to lowering thepipe into the well. The packer elements 22 and 24 are positioned'on opposite sides of the formed joint to be tested and fluid under pressure is then flowed through the conduit 29 into the testing device to first cause the resilient packers 22 and 24 to expand into sealing engagement with the well pipe to thereby seal olf the section of well pipe to be tested. Pressure of the hydraulic duid flowing into the testing device is then increased to the desired test pressure and the hydraulic test fluid llows into the sealed oit section externally of the testing tool and applies this pressure to the well pipe. While such tests are usually conducted at the connection of two sectionsof well pipe 30 together to determineif the connection is leakproof, it, of course, will be understood that the testing of the Well pipe may occur at any point along the length of a section or that the testing device 10 may have its body member 11V of such a length that the spaced packers 22 and 24 are spaced apart a distance greater than several joints or connections of sections of well pipe and thus provide a test for a plurality of joint connections simultaneously.

While the above briefly described testing procedure is usually accomplished at the surface of the well as the sections of well pipe are assembled, oftentimes it is desirable to test the well pipe after it has been run into the well casing in order to determine the exact location of leaks in an operating well pipe. When such tests are made, the procedure is substantially the same with the exception that the testing device 10 must be lowered to great depths within the well tubing 30 and the tests must be sequentially accomplished in order to cover all sections of the well pipe. When a leak is discovered in an existing well, the operators know exactly how much ofthe string of well pipe to withdraw in order to repair the leak or they know exactly where theyV have to insert suitable well equipmentfor repairing leaks in situ.

The well pipe 3o now used predominantly in industry is provided with a plastic lining made of an epoxy resin or the like'. The plastic lining is coated on the interior of the pipe at the timekof manufacture. Since the purpose of this plastic lining is to protect the metallic pipe from corrosive action of the acids encountered in Weil operation, any damage to the lining Ywill materially reduce the elfective life Yof the well pipe. Consequently, care must be :taken in the insertion of well tools into the well pipe of this type in order that the tools do not damage the fragile plastic lining.

Referring now in more detail to FIGURES 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the testing tool 10 disclosed therein is capable of insertion into the well pipe Silandmovable from one position to another position without damage to `the lining of the well pipe.- In addition, the testingdevice is so arranged that it may be made of a very small diameter in order that it may have proper clearance for passing through the inturned upsets 38 and yet can provide a seal with a maximum inside diameter of the well pipe and test under extremely high pressure conditions. In this respect, the testing device 10 of the present invention is capable of being loweredto extreme depths within the well pipe, as it is provided with novel means for releasing the resilient packer elements completely from engagement with the well pipe after they have been once set without the loss of hydraulic fluid in the conduit 29 which extends to the surface of the well.

The elongated generally tubular body member 11, as previously mentioned, comprises a plurality of sections 12, 13, 14, 16, 2t) and 21 which are threaded together as an assembled unit. All of the sections are made of metal such as stainless steel or the like and have their exterior surfaces, which when assembled might contact the well pipe lining, coated with a nonmetallic coating C which is softer than the lining of the well pipe. The nonmetallic coating C may be elastomeric material such as rubber, synthetic rubber or the like, a plastic material such as polyurethane or the like or a brous material such as phenolic impregnated berglas or the like. The nonmetallic coating materials must be resistant to reaction with the acids and uids encountered in well operation.

The sections 13, 14 and 16 form the center portion of the testing device 10 and are so designed to support packer elements 22 and 24, abutment members 26 and cylindrical cup-shaped pistons 28. In more detail, the section 13 is provided with a main cylindrical portion 40 provided with internal threads 42 at its upper end and a portion 44 of reduced diameter at its lower end. Extending from the end portion 44 is an elongated stem 46 threaded as indicated at 4S for the reception of the lower nose section 12 which provides the lower nose of the testing tool. The diameter of the portion 40 when it is coated with the nonmetallic coating C provides a maximum diameter for the testing device 10. As will be noted, the nose section 12 is coated with the nonmetallic coating C. The cylindrical cup-shaped piston 28 having a head 2S and a skirt 28 is adapted to slide on the portion 44 of section 13 and engage the resilient packer 24 to cause the same to compress against the abutment member 26. As will now be evident, the cylindrically shaped packer element 24 and the abutment member 26 are carried on the elongated stem 46 of section 13. Movement of the piston element 28 downwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to the position shownvin FIGURE 6 by the application of hydraulic fluid to the interior thereof, as will be explained in more detail later in the specification, compresses the packer element 24 longitudinally against the abutment member 26 causing the packer element to expand transversely into sealing engagement with the well pipe, as shown in FIG- URE 6. The piston 28 has its skirt 2S coated with a nonmetallic coating C and with this coating has substantially the same external diameter as the portion 40 when it is coated with a nonmetallic coating C.

It will be additionally noted that the section 13 houses the v alve means 45 in its portion 40. The function of valve means 45 will be described later in the specification.

The abutment member 26 may be of the type described inrmy copending application Serially Numbered 170,357, iiled February 2, 1962, and entitled Packer Back-Up Ring, or it may be of the type'described in my copending patent application Serially Numbered 170,538, led February 2, 1962, and entitled Composite Packer Back-up Ring Structure. In either instance,the abutment member is either arranged so that a portion of its exposed surface which might engage the lining ofthe Well pipe is made of a softer material than the lining of the well pipe or the abutment member is so designed that'it will not expand fully into engagement with the lining when the packers or elements are expanded. For purpose of this application and referring to FIGURES 2,l 3,v 5, 6 7 and 8 d E3 the abutment members 26 include aV plurality of arcuate metallic segments 70 held together as a contracted annular unit by a circumscribing band 72 made of an elastomeric material fitting into grooves 74. The band 72 has a radial thickness greater than the depth oi' grooves 74 and consequently protrudes beyond the outer surface of segments 70; The ends of the segments '70'are shaped to form an inverted cone and two conical shaped rings 76 engage the same. When the piston elements 28 press the packer element 24 against the abutment member, the rings 76 cause the segments 7G to expand outwardly to prevent extrusion of the packer element. Even in the expanded position, the segments do not engageI the lining on the well pipe as the band engagesA the same first and prevents further movement of the segments.

ection 14 has an end portion 44 of reduced diameter which is externally threaded and received in the internal threads 42 of section 13. As will be explained in more detail later in the specification, section 14- is adapted to house valve means 46 which permits the flow of hydraulic fluid under pressure to the sealed off section between the packers 24 after the packers have been set. The upper end of section 14 is internally threaded, as indicated at 43, and is adapted to receive the threaded end Sil of section 16. f l

Section k1t is similar to section 13 in that it is provided with a portion '52 of reduced diameter for slidably supporting the upper piston element 28 and an elongated stern 54 for supporting both the upper packerV element 22 and the upper abutment member 2o. The end of the stem 54 is threaded, as indicated at 56.

Section 20 is va'housing for the valve means Si? which permits the testing device to be used at great depths in a well pipe. A moreY detailed description of valve means 80 and its relationship to valve means 45 and 46 will follow in the specilication. Section 20 is provided at its lower end with a threaded counterboreV S and at its upper end with a threaded counterbore 6G. The counterbore SS threadedly receives threads 56 on the stern 54- whereas the counterbore 6) threadedly receives a reduced threaded portion 62 of the upper nose section 21. Section 21 has a threaded upper end portion 64 which is adapted to receive the lower end of the flexible tubular conduit 29. 'Y

As best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, which represent a composite vertical section through the elongated testing device 141 when in the static condition, the elongated tester body member 11 is provided with an axial longitudinally extending bore generally indicated at 82 which is opened at its upper end Sli and closed at its lower end 36. The bore S2 is provided with an enlarged chamber 88 formed in the section 29 for receiving and housing the valve means Si?. The chamber $3 has an internal upwardly facing shoulder 9u therein which supports one end of a compression spring 92 that urges a movable plunger valve element 94 toward a downwardly facing annular seat 96 formed inthe end of the nose section 21. The valve element 94 includesa bore 1131i extending therethrough and having its upper portion enlarged as indicated at 102. The upper portion 102 receives a ball check 194 which is normally seated by gravity and which cioses the-lower portion of the reduced portion of bore 19t) to the flow of hydraulic i'luid fromrthe conduit 29. The spring 92 has sufficient tension to maintain the valve element g4 seated against the valve seat $6 when there is a hydrostatic head ot` hydraulic lluid from the valve means Sil to the surface of the well in the fluid conduit 29. Upon increasing the pressure'oi the hydraulic iluid in the conduit 29 slightly abovethe pressure of the hydrostatic head acting on the valve element 94, the valve element 9d moves away from' its seat to permit hydraulic iiuid to flow downwardly through the bore S2 into'and through upper-and lower laterally extending passages V1% opening to the undersurface of the upper and lower piston heads 2S re spectively. The surge of the hydraulic iiuid at the increased pressure into the space beneath the piston heads 2d' causes the piston elements 2S `to move longitudinally against the respective packer elements 22 and 24 to cause the latter to seal tightly against the wall of the well pipe 39, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6.

After the packer elements 22 and 'V24 have been set, as shown in FlGURES 5 and 6,V the pressure of the hydraulic fluid is further increased to a predetermined desired pressure for testing, thus causing the valve means 46 toopen. Upon opening of valve means 46, the bore S2 is placed in communication with a laterally extending port or passage 11@ in the wall of section 141.' This permits the hydraulic iiuid under the increased pressure to flow externally of the testing device into the sealed oit' space between the packer element and thus the test pressure is applied to the section or well pipe therebetween; After fluid has filled the sealed oli space at the desired test pressure, gauges on the surface equipment are watched to determine whether` orA not there is a pressure drop. A pressure drop indicates a leak whereas, conversely, the maintaining of pressure indicates a satisfactory joint.

ln more detail, section 14 is provided with a chamber or l cavity 112 for housing the valve means 4o. The valve means 46 includes a plunger typeV valve element 114 hav ing a tubular bore 116 extending therethrough and axially aligned with and forming part of the bore 32 and an annular downwardly facing valve seat 116V provided on the lower end of the section 16. A compression spring 118 acting on the shoulder 12@ in the cavity 112 urges the valve element 114 into seating engagement with the valveV seat116. By providing the bore 116 through the valve element, hydraulic iiuid is permitted to ow unobstructed through the valve element and through the lower transverse passage 1136 to the space on the underside of the head 23 of Vthe lower piston element28. As mentioned above, when sutiicient pressure has been applied to set the packer elements 22 and 24, the pressure builds up on the upper siderof the headof the plunger valve element 114 causing the valve element 114i to move downwardly against the tension of spring 118, as shown in FIGURE 5, and thus hydraulic fluid ows into the chamber 112 and out through the port of passage-11b to the area being tested. Itis important to note that the stern of the plunger valve element 11d extends into the portion of the'boret S2 beneath the chamber V112 `and an O-ring 129 providesV facing valve seat 128 which is adapted Vto be engaged by the,

l head of a plunger valve element 128. Valve element 12S is spring urged into sealing engagement with the valve seat 128 by.means of a spring 131i. The stem of valve element 128 extends through an enlarged chamber 132 beneath the valve seat 128 and into a portion ofthe bore v.13, where an O-ring 134 provides a seal therewith. A port or passage 136 in section 13 communicating with thevenlarged chamber 132 provides a return for hydraulic tiuid when the test is completed and pressure within the testing device is relieved. lnV other words, after a test has been completedk and the pressure islowered at the surface ot' the well so that only ahydrostatic pressure remains depending on the length of the conduit 29, the pressure of the fluid between the packer elements just prior tortheir release is greater than the pressure within the testing de-l vice and thus will act yon the, underside of the head of valve element 12S" to compress the spring '13th This opens the valve thereby permitting the iluid to ow through the passage 13d to the interior of the ,testing device. The

through the bore 82. to the space beneath the head 28' of the lower piston element 2S.

As will now be evident, the valve elements 94, H4 and 128 are in axial alignment with each other and move on axes which are coincident with the longitudinal axis of the body member 11 and its longitudinally extending bore 82. By such a specific arrangement of the valve elements and their valve seats, the overall diameter of the testing device may be reduced to a minimum whereby the testing device may be utilized to test well pipes of extremely small diameters in the order of an inch anda halt` or less. Since the springs which urge the respective valve elements to their closed position are arranged on the longitudinal axis of the body member, their length and spring coefficient can be made suiciently large so that the valves can accommodate the extremely high pressuresk necessary for testing deep wells.

As mentioned above, the provision of the valve means St) which compensates for the hydrostatic pressure in the conduit 29 permits complete relaxation of the packers when testing at extreme depths without the loss of hydraulic fluid in the conduit 29 or the evacuation of the fluid from the conduit 29. Further means are provided for assisting in the complete relaxation of the packer elements after a test is completed. As best shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, each piston element 28 is provided with a radially extending passage 150 in the wall of its skirt 28" whereby hydraulic fiuid trapped beneath the piston head is permitted to bleed ofi as the pressure reduces and the piston element retracts. While the passage 150 is open when the piston elements are extended after pressure has been initially applied to the hydraulic fluid, such a bleed does not affect the test or the pressure asthe passage 150 opens to the sealed ofi area, between the packers and the pressure on the interiorY of piston is the same as the exterior pressure. Further, the bleed opening of passage 150 does not affect the initial extension of the piston elements as the surge of hydraulic fluid into the space beneath the Vheads 28' of the piston elements 28 is great enough to move the same asV the passages 106- are larger than the bleed passages 150.

FIGURE 9 discloses a slight modification in the pis- 'ton 23 wherein the bleed passage or port 150' is provided in the head 28. In this arrangement, the initial surge of pressure through the passage 106 to the underside of the piston head 28 causes the piston 28 to abut against the packer-element 24 and close off the end of the bleed passage 150. When the pressure in the bore 82is relieved andthe resiliency of the packer element 24 pushes the piston toward its retracted position, the passage 150 is opened up and any uid trapped beneath the piston head bleeds outwardly between the piston head and the packer externally of the testing device. Y

While the well tool described above fully accomplishes the objects and advantages ofthe invention, it is, of course, within theV scope of the present invention that certain changes and modifications may be-made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of description `and not for limitation as the scope of Vthe invention is defined Vin the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a testing device adapted to be connected to a iiuid conduit and lowered into a well pipe or the like for testing the same with a testing fluid under pressure supplied through the conduit: an elongated body member having a generally longitudinally extending bore therein communicating with the conduit at its upper end and closed at its lower end, at least one packer element mounted exteriorly on each end portion of said body member, each packer element having a Vsmaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of the pipe to be tested, means for expanding said packers into sealingiengagement with the well pipe to seal'off a section of the samefand to then supplyV fluid under pressure to the sealed off section, said means including passages communicating with saidbore for supplying iiuid pressure to expand the packer elements and a passage in said body member opening to the outside of the same between said packer elements and having a pressure responsive valve member therein normally closing the same. to said bore, said valve member being operable at a predetermined pressure to permit fluid to iiow into the sealed ofi section of well pipe, and valve means in said bore adjacent the end of the same connected to the conduit, said last-mentioned valve means being normally closed to prevent flow of iiuid through said bore and said passages to said packer elements, said last-mentioned valve means being pressure responsive to open when pressure of fluid in the conduit is increased abovethe pressure of its hydrostatic head on said lastmentioned valve means whereby fluid can be maintained in the conduit in between tests.

2. The testing Vdevice ofclaim 1 wherein said body member is provided with a non-metallic coating entirely covering the exposed surfaces of the same. n

3. The well tool of claim 2 wherein said nonmetallic coating is an elastomeric material.

I 4. The well tool of claim 2 wherein said nonmetallic coating is a plastic material.

5. The well tool of claim 2 wherein said nonmetallic coating ,is a fibrous material.

6. In a testing device adapted to be connected to a fluid conduit and lowered into a well pipe or the like for testing the same witha testing fiuid under pressure supplied through the conduit: an elongated body member having a generally longitudinally extending bore therein communicating with the conduit at its upper end and closed at its lower end, at least one packer element Amounted exteriorly on each end portion of said'body member, each packer elementl having a smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of the pipe to be tested7 means for expanding said packers into sealing engagement with the well pipe to seal ofi a section of the same and to then supply iiuid under pressure to the sealed off section, said means including passages communicating with said bore for supplying fluid pressure to expand the packer elements and a passage in said body member opening to the outside of the same between said packer elements and having a pressure responsive valve member therein normally closing the same to said bore, said valve member being operable at a predetermined pressure to permit fluid to flow into the sealed off section of well pipe, and valve meansY in said bore adjacent the end of the same connected to the conduit, said last-mentioned valve means being normally closed to prevent ow of fiuid through said bore.

and said passages to said packer elements, said last-mentioned valve means being pressure responsive to open when pressure of fluid in the conduit is increased above the pressure of its hydrostatic head on said last-mentioned valve means whereby fiuid can be maintained in the conduit in between tests, said last-mentioned valve means including a reverse fioW check valve whereby fluid beneath -the last-mentioned valve means may flow up through said last-mentioned valve means when pressure of fluid beneath said last-mentioned valve means is greater than hydrostatic pressure above said last-mentioned valve means.

7. In a testing device adaptedto be connected to a fluid conduit and lowered into a well pipe orthe like for testing the same with a testing fluid under pressure supplied through the conduit: an elongated body member having a generally longitudinally extending bore-therein communicating with the conduit at its upper end and closed at its lower end, at least one packer element mounted exteriorly on each end portion of said body member, each packer element having a smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of. lthe pipe'to be tested, abutment means on each end portion of the body member and abutting the ends of said packer elements respectively to retain and limit longitudinal movement of the same, a pair of cylindrical cup-shaped piston elements slidably v section of well pipe, means Vfor supplyingV 'uid under pressure from said bore into the sealed ott section of well pipe, and means through each of said piston elements for bleeding uid from the interior of said piston elements to the exterior of the testing device whereby the packer elements can be completely relaxed.

8. The testing device of claim 7 wherein said bleed means includes at least one passage in the wall of each of said piston elements extending radially outwardly of the same.

9. The testing device of claim 7 wherein each of said cylindrical cup-shaped piston elements has a head porf tion for abutting the respective packer elements Vand wherein said bleed means includes at least one passage in said head element extending longitudinally of the piston element and communicating the interior of the same with the exterior when pressure of fluid is relieved insaid bore.

10. In a testing device adapted to be connected to a luid conduit and lowered into a well pipe or the like for testing the same with a testing iiuid under pressure supplied through the conduit: an elongated body member having a generally longitudinally extending bore therein communicating with the conduit at its upper end and closed at its lower end, at least one packer element mounted exteriorly on each end portion of said body member, each packer element having a smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter ofV the pipe toA be tested, abutment means on each end portion of the body member and abutting the ends of said packer elements ,respectively to retain and limit longitudinal movement of the same, a pair ot cylindrical cup-shaped piston elements slidably mounted on said body member andrespeetively abutting said packer elements on opposite ends from said abutment means, means including continuously open passages in said tester member communicating with said bore and with the interior of said pistons for supplying huid under pressure from said bore to the interior of the pistons for moving thersame against said packer elements to compress the paclrer elements longitudinally against said abutment means and expand them transversely to seal off a section of well pipe, means for supplying fluid under pressure from said bore into the sealed off section of well pipe, means through each of said piston elements for bleeding fluid from the interior of said piston elements to the exterior of the testing device whereby the packer elements can be completely relaxed, and valve means in said bore positioned adjacent Vthe end of the same and connected to the conduit, said last-mentioned valve means being normally closed to prevent ow through said bore and said passages to said piston elements, said last-mentioned valve means being opened when pressure fluid in the conduit is increased above the pressure of its hydrostatic head on said last-mentionedV valve means whereby fluid can be maintained in the conduit in between tests without exerting a pressure on the interior of said piston elements.

1l. The testing device of claim 10 wherein said lastmentioned valve means includes a reverse flow check valve whereby fiuid beneath the last-mentioned valve means may iiow upwardly through said last-mentioned valve means when pressure of iuid beneath said lastmentioned valve means is greater than hydrostatic pressure ot fluid above said last-mentioned valve means.

12. The testing device of claim 11 whereinsaid bleed means includes at least one passage in the wall of said piston element extending radially outwardly of the same.

said cylindrical cup-'shaped piston elements has'a headv Vportion for abutting the respective packer elements and wherein said bleed means includes at least one passage in said head element extending longitudinally of the piston element andcommunicating the interior of lthe same with the exterior when pressure of uid beneath said valve means is relieved.

14. In a testing device adapted torbe connected to a iiuid conduit and lowered into a Well pipe or the like for testing the same with a testing iluid under pressure supplied through the conduit: an elongated body member having a generally longitudinally extending bore therein concentric with the axis of the body member and communicating with the conduit'at its upper end and closed at its lower end, at least one packer element mounted on each end portion or said body member and expansible into engagement with the well pipe, means to expand said packer elements to seal oit a section of the Well pipe, a tirst passage in said body member extending transversely from the bore to the exterior of the body member intermediate the packer elements, a second passage in said body member extending transversely from the bore to the exterior of the body member, said second passage being longitudinally spaced from said iirst passage, a rst valve means in said body member `for normally closing said rst passage from tiow of fluid from said bore until tiuid in said bore has reached a predetermined pressure, said first valve means including a valve seat in said body member concentric'of said bore and a plunger valve element having its longitudinal axis coincident with the longitudinal axis oi said bore and being spring urged against said seat, said plunger valve element having a longitudinally extending open bore therethrough to provide open communication in the bore in said body member, a second valve means arranged in said body member in axial alignment with said first valve means and normally closing said second passage from the bore in said body member, said second valve means being open when fluid in said second passage has a Vhigher pressure than iiuid in said bore whereby iluid can Vflow from the section tested through the second passage into said bore, said second valve means including a seat in said body member concentric with said bore and a plunger valve element cooperating with said seat and axially aligned with the plunger valve element of saidlrst Valve means, said -last-mentioned plunger valve element having a longitudinally extending open bore therethrough to provide open communication in the bore in Vsaid body member.

15. A testing device of claim 14 wherein said means to expand said packer elements to seal oit a section of' the well pipe includes cylindrical cup-shaped pistonelements slidably mounted adjacent each packer element for engaging and expanding the packer element and a passage in said body memberopen to the interior of the piston and to the bore whereby fluid under pressure moves the piston element, and valve means in said body member positioned adjacent the end of the bore connected to the conduit and normally closing said bore to the flow of tluid rom the conduit, said last-mentioned valve means being operable to openkposition upon a pressure greater than the hydrostatic pressure of fluid in the conduit above the same.

` 16. Thetesting device of claim -15 wherein Said lastmentioned valve means is arranged in said body member in axial alignment with said rst-mentioned valve means above the same.

17. The testing device of claim 15 wherein said lastmentioned valve means includes a valve seat in saidbody 1 member concentric of -said bore and a valve element movable on the longitudinal axis of the bore.

1S. The testing device of claim 17 wherein the valve element in saidV last-mentioned valve means includes a reverse lliow check valve whereby liuid beneath the valveV element may flow up through vthe valve element when pressureV of the uid beneaih the same Vis greaer than References Cited by the-Examiner hydrostatic pressure of the fluid acting on the valve UNITED STATES PATENTS element.

19. The testing device of claim 14 wherein said body etltliset l'l 33 205 X member is provided With a nonmetaliic coating covering 5 2731827 1/56 Lgoiss e a 7 3- 40 5 the exposed surfaces of the same, said nonmetallic coat- 2 946 388 7/60 Evans 166 187 X ing being softer'than the interior Wall of the weil pipe 2998721 9/61 Gawlik 73 40 5 X whereby engagement of the testing device with the same does not Scratch the Same- ISAAC LISANN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A TESTING DEVICE ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A FLUID CONDUIT AND LOWERED INTO A WELL PIPE OR THE LIKE FOR TESTING THE SAME WITH A TESTING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE SUPPLIED THROUGH THE CONDUIT; AN ELONGATED BODY MEMBER HAVING A GENERALLY LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BORE THEREIN COMMUNICATING WITH THE CONDUIT AT ITS UPPER END AND CLOSED AT ITS LOWER END, AT LEAST ONE PACKER ELEMENT MOUNTED EXTERIORLY ON EACH END PORTION OF SAID BODY MEMBER, EACH PACKER ELEMENT HAVING A SMALLER OUTSIDE DIAMETER THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE PIPE TO BE TESTED, MEANS FOR EXPANDING SAID PACKERS INTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WALL PIPE TO SAID OFF A SECTION OF HE SAME AND TO THEN SUPPLY FLUID UNDER PRESSURE TO THE SEALED OFF SECTION, SAID MEANS INCLUDING PASSAGES COMMUNICATION WITH SAID BORE FOR SUPPLYING FLUID PRESSURE TO EXPAND THE PACKER ELEMENTS AND A PASSAGE IN SAID BODY MEMBER OPENING TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE SAME BETWEEN SAID PACKER ELEMENTS AND HAVING A PRESSURE RESPONSIVE VALVE MEMBER THEREIN NORMALLY CLOSING THE SAME TO SAID BORE, SAID VALVE MEMBER BEING OPERABLE AT A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE TO PERMIT FLUID TO FLOW INTO THE SEALED OFF SECTION OF WELL PIPE, SAID VALVE MENS IN SAID BORE ADJACENT THE END OF THE SAME CONNECTED TO THE CONDUIT, SAID LAST-MENTIONED VALVE MEANS BEING NORMALLY CLOSED TO PREVENT FLOW OF FLUID THROUGH SAID BORE AND SAID PASSAGE TO SAID PACKET ELEMENTS, SAID LAST-MENTIONED VALVE MEANS BEING PRESSURE RESPONSIVE TO OPEN WHEN PRESSURE OF FLUID IN THE CONDUIT IS INCREASED ABOVE THE PRESSURE OF ITS HYDROSTATIC HEAD ON SAID LASTMENTIONED VALVE MEANS WHEREBY FLUID CAN BE MAINTAINED IN THE CONDUIT IN BETWEEN TESTS. 